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Question

Can't Defragment

Feb 17, 2014 4:25AM PST

I installed XP PRO on 40GB Drive. I then decided to dual boot with Linux. XP is now on 18.3 GB NTFS partition. I then upgraded to service pac 3 and latest updates as of yesterday. There are very little I have done in XP, but I only have 7.57 GB free space. The original drive was only 6GB, so I figure XP should only take up about 3 GB of disk space. I tried defragging, but get message - can not defrag. Is there a third party app that can defrag the drive? What to do?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Remember this has over a decade of history.
Feb 17, 2014 4:38AM PST

Let's cover the basics we've learned over time.

1. Boot to safe mode.
a. chkdsk
b. try again in SAFE MODE.

2. Look up other defrraggers like defraggler.

3. Ignore it. It rarely speeds up the system and if there is hardware issues can corrupt what's on the drive.

Again, you are traveling down a very well beaten path.
Bob

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more
Feb 17, 2014 7:19AM PST

I wanted to defrag thinking I could open more disk space. Seems unreasonable that XP would take up 11GB disk space. As I said it was on a 6 GB HDD before. There is less than 2 GB in My Documents. I installed Driver detective, AVG 2014, and Mozilla Firefox. That's all. There are 2 Admin accounts, mine and the person I am giving the laptop to. The amount of documents in my account add up to so many kb. I plan on renaming my account in the other persons name and removing his admin account. (My admin account will become renamed as his - nothing to worry about in it)

Does having 2 admin accounts account for taking up more space?

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1. It does not reclaim disk space.
Feb 17, 2014 7:33AM PST

2. You can test that. Add an account and see. Here it's so small I don't worry. Without the spare account you know what you can't fix with ease.

3. If you are tracking down space, use things like search and sort by size. Also that app called TREESIZE.

The paging file and temp files on Windows update as well as, well, we are duplicating a decade of discussions.
Bob

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Safe Mode?
Feb 17, 2014 7:34AM PST

How do I boot to safe mode?
I am dual booting XP and Linux.
First screen is Dell Splash screen - F2 Settings F12 Boot Sequence No safe mode there
Next screen is GRUB - several Linux boot options, Memtest, and then XP - no safe mode option

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That first question on google.
Feb 17, 2014 7:35AM PST

I dual boot too. It's the same key after the grub.

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Same Key?
Feb 17, 2014 9:37AM PST

What do you mean Same Key After GRUB?

Booted to GRUB. Selected XP. EnterWindow XP PRO begins booting. Am I supposed to do something after GRUB and XP PRO begins to Boot? Hit a particular key? Nothing happens at that point hitting F2, or F12. No options at F2 or F12 at Dell splash screen to boot to Safe Mode.

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Sorry but the question how to boot safe mode
Feb 17, 2014 10:26AM PST

Has been asked many times and answered on the web many many times. I don't mind your question but why not learn how to find answers to common questions?
Bob